Steam cleaning appliances require a substantial amount of power to operate properly. Typically, steam cleaning appliances require around 1,800 Watts of power to sufficiently heat stored water to provide the necessary steam for the cleaning appliance.
Similarly, steam irons require a substantial amount of power to operate properly. Steam irons generally include two heating elements, one to heat the iron and the other to heat water to produce steam. In the United States, the combined amount of electrical power utilized by both heating elements in a steam iron can not exceed, for practical purposes, 1,800 Watts due to UL regulations limiting voltage levels to 120 volts, with a maximum draw of 15 amps at this voltage level.
Given the above-mentioned power constraints, a device that combines a steam cleaner with a steam iron would not be able to draw sufficient power to power the separate heating elements of the combined device. One attempt to overcome this problem is disclosed in European Patent No. EP 0 809 728 B1, but the design shown therein is intended for use in Europe, which has 220 voltage levels and power standards suitably high that provide sufficient power to a device that includes both a steam cleaner and a steam iron.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus designed to properly operate under restricted power requirements.
Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a combination steam cleaner and steam iron that includes a steam generator, a steam cleaner and a steam iron is provided. The steam generator includes a boiling device that has first and second boiling elements for boiling water to produce steam, and a first connector for supplying out the steam. The steam cleaner includes a second connector that is attachable to the first connector of the steam generator, and the second connector includes a steam hose that receives the steam output from the steam generator. The steam cleaner also includes a steam nozzle that dispenses the steam and a circuit that is designed to supply power to the second boiling element in the steam generator so as to cause the second boiling element to boil the water (along with the first boiling element) when the steam cleaner is in use. The steam iron includes an iron heating element and a third connector that is attachable to the first connector of the steam generator. The third connector includes a steam hose that receives steam supplied out from the steam generator when the steam iron is attached, and steam iron also includes a circuit designed to supply power to the iron heating element to heat the steam iron when in use, and the circuit is designed to not supply power to the second boiling element so that the second boiling element is not utilized during use of the steam iron.
A power cable extends from the steam generator for receiving a source of power, and the steam generator includes a user controllable power switch for selectively supplying power to the first boiling element and a steam release valve for controlling the output of steam from the steam generator through the first connector, and the steam cleaner and the steam iron each includes a respective user controlled on/off steam switch for controlling the steam release valve when the respective device is connected to the steam generator.
A power is supplied to the steam release valve independent of whether power is supplied by the power switch to the boiling device so that steam is controlled to be supplied out from the steam generator independent of control of the boiling device.
Each of the connectors of the steam generator, steam cleaner and steam iron includes respective first, second, third and fourth electrical contacts. Within the steam generator, the power switch supplies power to the first electrical contract, an electrical connection is provided between the second electrical contract and the second boiling element, the steam release valve""s return line is electrically connected to the third electrical contact, and the fourth electrical contact is electrically connected to the power cable""s return line. Within the steam cleaner, the first and second electrical contacts are shorted together, and the third and fourth electrical contacts are connected through the user controlled on/off steam switch. Within the steam iron, the first and fourth electrical contacts are connected through the iron heating element, the third and fourth electrical contacts are connected through the user controlled on/off steam switch, and the second electrical contact is left open.
The first boiling element is an 1,100 Watt heater, the second boiling element is a 600 Watt heater, and the iron heating element is a 600 Watt heater. About 1,700 Watts of power are drawn during use of the steam cleaner and about 1,700 Watts of power are drawn during use of the steam iron.
A 120 voltage source of power is supplied to the power cable extending from the steam generator, where the steam generator draws less than 15 amps of power during use of the steam cleaner, and the steam generator and the steam iron collectively draw less than 15 amps of power during use of the steam iron.
The steam generator includes a pressostat, a thermostat and a thermofuse serially coupled to the first and second boiling elements. The steam generator also includes a top surface designed for use as a resting surface on which either the steam cleaner or the steam iron may be mounted. The top surface is designed to support a heated steam iron.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus that operates effectively at 15 amps.
It is another object of the invention to provide a combined steam cleaner and steam iron apparatus designed to provide a minimum number of contacts between the various interchangeable components.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.